October 28th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Latest, Restaurants | 2 Comments »
Some people aren’t for settling down, but I’m glad that the much-loved Veggie Patch Van has a spin-off that’s permanently in the park position: its new project, the Veggie Patch Diner, recently opened in Five Ways, Paddington. There’s no need to chase or tailgate this offshoot to get your fix of the Veggie Patch’s vegetarian […]
October 25th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Latest, Restaurants | 1 Comment »
What an accidental time trip: at Mama’s Buoi in Surry Hills, I instantly reconnected with the home-cooked Vietnamese flavours I grew up with – not something I expected on a fast-gentrifying corner of the inner-city, of all places. The Coconut Tamarind Curry ($15), soaked up with a crusty baguette, reminded me of the crumb trails […]
October 16th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Favourites, Latest, Restaurants | 7 Comments »
Calling your restaurant ACME is some ballsy move. Sure, it’s a convenient merger of people’s initials – taking the first names of everyone involved (Andy Emerson, Cam Fairbairn, Mitch Orr, Ed Loveday) and like a killer Scrabble ploy, reshuffling everything into a slick word that scores you a lot of kudos. But the title is […]
October 6th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Latest, Restaurants | 3 Comments »
Don’t procrastinate, the team behind The Eat-In has a new pop-up called Alfio’s in Leichhardt – and you should pay a visit before the restaurant pulls off its vanishing act. The Eat-In made a great impression before hitting its expiration date last year, and Alfio’s has a similar concept and run time. There’s a set […]
September 23rd, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Latest, Restaurants | 5 Comments »
My friend Marc Brandon hit Chaco Bar in Darlinghurst with the title of his “FAV JAP Joint in Syd” a month ago, and I’ve been badly wanting to check it out ever since. And if you thought that Marc’s just talking up this joint as a favour to his pal, chef Keita Abe – simply because […]
September 3rd, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Latest, Restaurants | 1 Comment »
As if you really need some kind of risk assessment on whether you’re gonna have a good time at LP’s Quality Meats in Chippendale. Of course it’s going to knock you out of orbit – it’s Luke Powell’s first solo venture, and diners have been tracking interest in him for a little while now. The […]
July 29th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Latest, Restaurants | 9 Comments »
Coogee Pavilion is a one-size-fits-all eatery – and what a blockbuster size it is. This new venue not only shelters a pizzeria, oyster counter, grill section, juice stand, cafe, cocktail area and raw bar, but it also (somehow!) has room for a giant Scrabble board, 1950s ping pong tables, a theatrette, flower market, sea-themed library […]
June 18th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Latest, Restaurants | 6 Comments »
Cho Cho San in Potts Point opened last week to such mega-wattage interest – I’m surprised that a power surge and blackout didn’t immediately follow in the area. You could trace this highly-charged reception through the fast-breaking write-ups this new izakaya received – it was covered in SMH Good Food, Gourmet Traveller, Two Thousand, Broadsheet, […]
April 8th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Latest, Restaurants, Shops | 3 Comments »
The Stinking Bishops in Newtown is named after the first-ever cheese to be judged as Britain’s smelliest. Although wheels of this infamous creation (which has the knockout stench of “a rugby club changing room”) have yet to turn up at this new cheese bar and deli on Enmore Road, there are many other (less pungent) […]
February 28th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Latest, Restaurants | 10 Comments »
Having an incredibly common Korean name might seem like a surefire way to blend in, but Kim Restaurant in Potts Point stands out in many impressive ways. It’s a new venture by David Ralph (Flying Fish, Kakawa Chocolates) and Tae Kyu Lee (Mr Wong, Ms Gs), who both share impressive CVs and a not-so-common denominator […]